Behavioural Change Management has gone through four periods: (i) Foundation (pre-1990), (ii) On the radar (the 1990s), (iii) Formalisation (the 2000s) and (iv) Going Forward.[8]
ORIGIN. The first era of behavioural change management began in 1909. Prosci calls this period the foundation era. Cultural anthropologist Arnold Van Gennep started studying the concept of change and recognised that there are three stages of change that can occur within people, namely (i) moving away from a current state through to (ii) transitioning and finally, (iii) changing into a future state.[8]
BEFORE 2000 (ON THE RADAR ERA). Behavioural change management became more predominant as other respected researchers and authors undertook studies on presenting theories, measuring and monitoring the impact of employees towards changes within organisations in the second era. Social psychologist, Kurt Lewin, presented a model known as the Three-Stage Model that uncovered how organisations could change the status quo for change.[8] The three stages were (i) unfreezing, (ii) transitioning to the change, and (iii) refreezing.
William Bridges, speaker and author, presented a similar three-stage model comprising of (i) the ending, (ii) entering the neutral zone, and (iii) moving into the new beginning.[8]
Abraham Maslow, the psychologist, developed a theory on human needs in 1943 and 1954. This theory was to help us understand our motivation for needs to be satisfied. Human beings’ needs range from simple to complex needs that must be constantly satisfied. Maslow identified the five types of needs that we are continually seeking as (i) psychological, (ii) safety, (iii) the sense of being loved and belonging, (iv) esteem and (v) self-actualisation. The first four needs are deficiency needs whilst the need for self-actualisation is a growth need. Other recognised researchers and authors who have shed their perspectives on behavioural change management include Kotter, LaMarsh and Johnson.
POST-2000. This period is known as the third era in behavioural change management (or the formalisation period mentioned by Prosci). It is when Behavioural Change Management began to form as a discipline, and more emphasis was placed on the psychological aspects, behaviour, and social impact of human behaviour.
The formalisation of the behavioural change management discipline was necessary if organisations wanted to achieve greater efficiencies and productivity through change. Managers and leaders had to come to grips with human behaviour and accept it can determine the success or failure of change within organisations. There needed to be a better understanding of individual human behaviour in the workplace, such as group dynamics, what causes conflicts, and employee motivation and expectations. Once leaders and managers have a broad concept of how individual human behaviour impacts change, they can devise solutions to deliver successful change.
Why do researchers need to understand individual human behaviour patterns? It is recognised that our behaviour will not change until a change occurs. We will continue with our daily routines as usual if there are no changes that confront us. The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine describes our behaviour patterns as not changing when there is no external change, “like a train running along railway tracks”. In this example, our everyday routines are the same as a train running along a straight railway track with no deviations. However, if the train route differs by going on another track, individual behaviour changes until it gets used to the new route.
Today, behavioural change management has seen a shift towards more focus on sustainability and its impact on the world we live in. Organisations will continue to invest in future technology, but their investment will be targeted toward tangible and intangible change technology.
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